A Bridge of Magpies

'Not while we watch, he won't. But half the bloody day and all the night there's fog. You won't ever know where he is. There's a lot of craftiness there, boy, make no mistake:

'Kaptein Denny

'You always give him his title, I notice.'

'There's something about him. Something out of the ordinary. Don't ask me what: all I know, it's there:

'That makes him dangerous. We've got to break up this lost city party of theirs, Struan?

'You're sending flowers before the funerals.'

'Maybe. I like flowers better than funerals.'

'Funerals.. I told him about the graveyard. 'I've never known Malays use sea shell ornaments before.'

'It's just one more sound reason why we should lock him up. It could have something to do with his racket,' '

What do you think that is, Hellmut?'

'My guess is that he's got a lead on the lost city and is playing the zip-lip with his dumb fisherman act'

'Brace yourself; let's go and tell 'em our verdict.'

Jutta, Kaptein Denny and Breekbout were hunkered down, drinking coffee in the cheerless bunkroom in front of a small cast-iron stove. There wasn't any proper furniture. A few boxes and packing cases served as chairs and tables. There was a big stove in the galley to meet the needs of scores of guano workers but it was too much trouble for Breekbout. I helped myself to a pint-sized chipped mug and a biscuit. We'd missed our lunch ashore. I moistened my throat with a couple of sips and told them what I intended. I didn't beat about the bush. Jutta took it quietly, eyeing me as she remained squatting, cup in hand. But I saw the tension in her eyes: I wondered how much pressure she would stand. Kaptein Denny remarked in a neutral kind of way, gave you my parole I wouldn't go ashore.'

'Bull!'

Koch laughed derisively before I cut him short.

'Will your boat be safe where she lies? I won't be away 74

'more than a couple of days.'

He shot me a glance of appreciation. -The holding ground is good where she is. Mud and shell in five fathoms. Just outside the line of the main channel. There's a rock which I use as a sort of ansteuringstonne.' He used the word quite naturally but it brought me a fresh rush of suspicion regarding the seamy-faced skipper. Ansteuringstonne means an approach buoy. But it's U-boat jargon. Jima said, 'I'd like to collect my things from Kaptein Denny's boat.'

I was relieved to be able to break up the tight group Is there anything you want, Kaptein Denny?'

'Not immediately?

Jutta and I used the whaleboat to cross to the cutter. I was equally relieved to exchange the ammoniacal stink of Posses- sion for the varnished smell of Gaok's mahogany cabin. Jutta spoke only once on the trip across. She'd been viewing the old liner and the shoreline as though to photograph them in her memory.

'Will I see this tomorrow before we leave?'

'Maybe. Depends on the fog.'

She bit her lips. I had the impression I'd pumped the tension a littJe nearer exploding-point.

While she collected her things from the inner cabin I made a quick check of the anchor cables and then the bridge. Gaok was a honey and I'd have loved to have owned her. I finally went below into the main cabin and opened the mahogany bar,

Jutta came into the doorway.

'What are you doing?'

'Brandy,' I said. 'The Possession party may need a bit of livening up this evening.'

'Do you always help yourself to whatever you want aboard somebody else's ship?'

'Always. It's in the blood. I come from a long line of wreckers.'

She opened her mouth, then bit back whatever she'd meant to say.

I added, 'I aJso intend to make a thorough search.' 'You've no right!' she flared. You're abusing your position, Me first, then himI mean, his ship- when he isn't here 75 to defend himself..

I put down my drink and faced her, both of us strained and hostile.

'You've taken a hit over this thing, Jutta. I tried to make it easy for you there on shore. I showed you what you asked to see. I believed-believe-your story. As much as you told me. Thousands wouldn't. I've got a job to do: don't get in the way.'

She was distant and ungiving. 'You showed me round: the benevolent grandstanding gesture! At the point of a rifle!

Watching every move!'

'You didn't come clean with me. So you got hurt.'

'Hurt! I could howl!' She stood for a long moment getting her face under control, then came up to me at the bar.

'I want to stay. Get that clear. More than anything else, I want to stay. But I'm not going to throw you a load of four-letter bitchery to try and get my way. I could also try a spot of instant sex. It would be easy now we're alone. The situation's tailor-made. Suppose I took off my clothes?'

I saw, now that she was so near-that the little spot in the corner of her eye which I thought was sand wasn't sand at all but a swollen tear-duct.

If you taJk about it, it isn't instant'

'There's a saying that nice girls always finish last?

'I wouldn't know, in the Sperrgebiet stakes. You're at the short end of things because whatever you're after is too way-out. Likewise, Kaptein Denny is after something-to, though I don't know what it is-not yet.'

`So you're planning a sneak search of his ship?'

`Not any more. I've changed my mind.'

`Don't let's elbow one another aside in the rush for the boat, then.'

I poured myself another slug and aJlowed it to coast over my tongue.

'Join me?'

'No.'

'I'm a good listener. Pull out the bung. Get it off your chest. Four-letter words, if it helps.'

'There's nothing more. Except…

'Except.'

She picked up the cheap case containing her things. `You're going to dump me on the quayside at Luderitz and say, the hell with you, Jutta'

'The quay, yes. The rest wasn't in my mind.'

'I've got a one-way air ticket from London. There's nothing left to pay for the return.'

`Get a refund from Kaptein Denny. It'll help.'

She looked away and I knew that he hadn't charged her for the charter of his boat. My suspicion that they might be working in tandem blew up afresh.

'Too bad. If he won't, you can always run home to Daddy:

If I'd slapped her face the reaction couldn't have been greater.

'You bastard! You unspeakable bastard, for saying that!'

`That's as good an exit line as any. Let's go.'

If she could have moved any farther away from me in the boat she would have. But we were obliged to face one another, I rowing and she sitting in the stem. The sunset was a napalm bunt on the clouds out to sea. Its flares caught Jutta's hair and made it more incandescent than gold. She'd got rid of the beret and the wind blew her long hair this way and that, changing the lights in it as it blew. It gave her something to do to fuss with it rather than endure the tight silence. I for my part was grateful for being occupied rowing. It took a long time to reach the island because the run of the sea was against us and I hadn't Breekbout's skill with the heavy craft. By the time we arrived at the jetty the sunset was gone and the sea was bleak and cold. The fog bank loomed close, which made for a shut-off feeling, as if Possession and the two-stack wreck were the only things left in the world.

Koch and I hosted a dismal dinner. We tried to make a party of it by selecting tinned specialities from the abundant store room, and he dressed them up skilfully over the stove. However-our attempt at a semi-festive air, helped by a couple of brandies from Gaok's bottle, exploded when I pitched into Jutta as soon as she appeared. She'd changed into tawny-coloured pants and a green sweater which offset her hair and made it look lovely in the dicky light. It was her first words which blew the powder-keg.

'It was a wonderful bath, even if it was cold.'

'You-had-a – bath?'

The term was unknown to Breekbout. The others gaped. 77